The Fitrus Plus wants to give you a holistic view of your health using BIA

Posted:
Sunday, May 13, 2018 12:20 PM EDT

By Lulu Chang

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Your weight is just a number, and alas, not a comprehensive enough one at that. For a holistic view of your overall health, you’ll need more than a scale. After all, it’s notjustthe pounds that matter, but also your body fat percentage, muscle mass, BMI, and other key health metrics. And now there’s a device that purports to provide all of this information in one place. Meet the Fitrus Plus, a hand-held gadget that leveragesBioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) in order to provide its user with a number of body metrics.

How exactly does it work? The palm-sized device has two imprints on each side for you to place your thumbs. Once you’re properly holding the device, a tiny electric current will be sent through your body. The BIA method then determines the opposition, or “impedance” to the current’s flow. The current will make its way through hydrated tissue much more easily than it will through tissue that does not contain much water. And because muscle holds around 75 percent water and fat holds very little water, BIA is able to determine your body composition quite accurately.

In a few seconds, your readings will be sent via Bluetooth to the companion smartphone app. It’s recommended that you take your measurements early in the morning before you’ve engaged in any activity or eaten — if you work out or have breakfast before pressing your thumbs against the Fitrus Plus’ electrodes, you may end up with skewed results. But when used correctly the team purports that the Fitrus Plus is 99.8 percent accurate.

The device also provides readings on your oxygen saturation, basal metabolic rate, skin temperature, stress, and number of steps you’ve taken (assuming you’re carrying the device around with you). And thanks to the app, you can see how your readings change on a weekly basis (your body composition doesn’t change that quickly, so daily readings are rather redundant). And if you’re consistent about logging your results, the Fitrus Plus app can provide you with customized exercise and nutrition plans.

With over a month left in its campaign, the Fitrus Plus has already surpassed its fundraising goal of $30,000. While you should always exercise caution when backing a crowdfunding campaign, if you’re interested in lending your support, Fitrus Plus is offering early bird pricing of $129. Delivery is expected for September 2018.